Hadrian Raises $260M to Expand AI-Powered Defense Factories in Arizona, California

Hadrian, a defense manufacturing startup, has raised $260 million in a Series C funding round led by Peter Thiel’s Founders Fund and Lux Capital to expand its AI-powered factories. The company plans to build a new 270,000 square foot factory in Mesa, Arizona, and expand its Torrance, California location, focusing on boosting shipbuilding and naval defense capabilities. Hadrian utilizes robotics and artificial intelligence to automate production, enabling rapid worker training and significantly increasing productivity, which CEO Chris Power describes as a necessary leap beyond China’s manufacturing model. The new Arizona facility, four times larger than the California site, is expected to open by Christmas and create 350 jobs, with plans for additional facilities to meet Department of Defense demand. Hadrian is also launching a "factories-as-a-service" model to help defense contractors optimize and scale manufacturing, reflecting a shift towards highly automated production to address workforce shortages and national security needs. The company’s revenues grew tenfold last year and continue to expand aggressively as it challenges established defense contractors like Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin.